"'Hyperion' is about the titular character coming to grips with just who the hell he is," Wendig told Newsarama. "Here's a guy who lost his universe and now exists as part of a group where he feels more and more alienated (pun not intended until now). He's supposed to be a father, a teacher, and he has all these precepts in mind for how he is supposed to be, but little practice or understanding as to what that means. He takes America and its people as his 'adopted children,' but that also means he has to get to know his, um, 'new kids.' So, we put him smack dab in the American heartland-in all its rust, corn and gun-fed glory-and see what happens."